While you are perfecting new moves on the pole there is a risk that you will get bruises and/or friction burns. Some people bruise more easily than others.

Tips to prevent bruising and friction burns:

• Concentrate on using your strength to control moves more effectively.
• Wear shoes or boots to protect your feet and legs (sports shoes, dance shoes, leather or PVC boots).

• For friction burns you may find wearing sweat-bands on your wrists will help. The wrist is a common pole burn site, as a result of spinning around the pole.
• Improve your diet: Supercharge your immune system by consuming Vitamin C enriched foods. Vitamin C is a substance that can boost your energy levels as well as boost your body’s ability to heal minor injuries a little faster. Fruits containing citric acid like oranges and lemons are good sources of Vitamin C, as well as savoury root vegetables like sweet potato.
  Another Vitamin that can help you overcome easy bruising is Vitamin A. Vitamin A, is used by the body to fend off cellular damage and to make sure it can deal with trauma. One of the best and safest ways of getting Vitamin A into your system is through food (you could risk Vitamin A toxicity by taking Vitamin A supplements). Find Vitamin A in; apricots, carrots, pumpkin and collard greens (loose leafed green veggies- eg: cabbage, broccoli).
• To improve the circulation, prevent anemia and fend off bruising increase the amount of iron in your diet. Look for dark green vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli and swiss chard.

Tips to minimize bruising:

• Reduce the size of the bruise and relieve pain by icing the affected area immediately. Apply ice for 10 minutes.
• Raise injured area above the level of your heart. This helps prevent blood collecting at the bruise.
• Wrap the bruise with a dressing and an elastic bandage to put pressure on the injured area. This is to reduce blood flow to the injury.
• Do not expose the bruised area to heat sources, such as, hot showers. Heat can increase blood flow, which can increase bruising.
• Put a cream containing Vitamin K on the injured area. Vitamin K helps the body absorb blood. If the blood in the injured area is absorbed by the body, there will be less bruising.
• Increase your in take of Vitamin C. Consult a pharmacist for advice about how much Vitamin C you can take. Consume Vitamin C enriched foods, like Oranges, Lemons and believe it or not bean sprouts!

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